Noodlephant

by Jacob Kramer, K-Fai Steele (Illustrator)

Famous for her pasta parties, Noodlephant is shocked when the law-loving kangaroos decide noodles are only for them!

Noodlephant won’t let this stand―Noodlephants can’t survive on sticks and branches, after all. Determined to do something to push back against an unjust law, she and her friends invent a machine that transforms pens into penne, pillows into ravioli, and radiators into radiatori. With that, the pasta parties are back! But that very night, the kangaroos come bounding through the door… ready to enforce their unjust laws. A zany tale of full of pasta puns, friendship, and one Phantastic Noodler, Noodlephant, written by Jacob Kramer and illustrated by K-Fai Steele, explores a community’s response to injustice.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Food, Social Justice, Fiction, Humor

80 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2019

Reviews

[Dream.M · Rating 3 out of 5]

آفرین بچه ها، قانون بد رو باید خورد...

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

یه جامعه‌ای رو تصور کنید که اداره‌ش بر عهده یه اقلیته و تلاش می‌کنن مدام با قانون‌گذاری‌هاشون هر چیزی که مربوط به زندگیه رو از بقیه بگیرن و فقط برای خودشون کنن. آشناست نه؟
اگه همین ماجرا رو بیارید توی کتاب کودک و نتیجه‌ش میشه فیل ماکارون. یه کتاب خوب که به بچه‌ها یاد میده اگه قانونی بد و تبعیض‌آمیز بود جلوش بایستند و سعی کنن تغییرش بدن. ترجیحا برای بچه‌های بالای هفت سال بخونید چون یه سری چیزا داره که ممکنه بچه‌های کمتر از هفت سال درست متوجه‌ش نشن.

[sAmAnE · Rating 4 out of 5]

به چالش کشیدن قانون در یک کتاب برای بچه‌ها😁

[Chadi Raheb · Rating 4 out of 5]

«قانون اگه خوب نباشه
قانون نو جاش میذاریم
قانون خوبی که همه
از دل و جون قبول داریم
قانونی که به ما نگه
چی نخوریم، چی بخوریم
کاری نداشته باشه که
ما، ماکارونی بخوریم»


🐘🍝🐘🍝🐘

فیل‌ماکارون -همونجور که از اسمش پیداست- عاشق ماکارونیه (کی نیست؟!) ، اما کانگوروهای دیکتاتور که شهر رو اداره میکنن، حتی در اینکه کی چی بخوره/نخوره هم فضولی میکنن.
حالا فیل و دوستاشم یه راه حل پیدا میکنن، و با سیاستِ خوشمزه‌ای، خیلی دوستانه توی دهن کانگوروها میزنن

🍝🐘🍝🐘🍝

خیلی هم خوب و آموزنده :)) فقط مث من دیروقت نخونین که دلتون شدیدا ماکارونی بخواد و مجبور باشین تا فردا شبش صبر کنین
[خون‌گریه‌ی حضار]

[Mehrnaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

داستانهای کودکی که فراتر از داستان کودک هستند رو همیشه دوست داشتم،داستان فیل ماکارون،داستان فیلیه که عاشق ماکارونیه و همیشه مهمونی ماکارونی میده تا اینکه کانگوروها(که قدرت رو توی شهر به دست دارن)خوردن ماکارونی رو برای همه حیوانها به جز کانگوروها ممنوع میکنن...
داستان در مورد جنگیدن برای چیزی که حق مسلم هر کسی هست هستش در عین حال بسیار ساده که برای بچها قابل فهمه.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really amazing book about just letting everyone make their own 'noodles' and enjoying them with friends - that allows everyone to be part of the process that you have to trust in! Like the fact that 10% of the proceeds go to support Black and Pink, an organization that supports LGBTQ prisoners. Loved the art!

[Diana]

حوصله‌مون وسط عید دیدنی سررفت به خواهرم گفتم از فیدی پلاسم یه کتاب انتخاب کنه بخونیم

[امیرمحمد حیدری · Rating 5 out of 5]

عجب کتاب پشم‌ریزونی! جداً یه قلعه‌ی حیوانات برای کودکان +۸ سال. دنیایی که کانگوروها توش قانون می‌ذارن، حتی رژیم غذایی حیوونای دیگه رو تعیین می‌کنن و اگه کسی تبعیت نکنه می‌اندازنش توی باغ وحش=))) آیرونیِ باغ وحش داره منو می‌کشه صادقانه:))) خیلی فوق‌العاده بود. پیشنهادی.

[Tayebe Ej · Rating 4 out of 5]

داستان درباره فیلیه که عاشق ماکارونیه ولی ماکارونی خوردن خلاف قانونه، فیل به این قضیه اعتراض میکنه و حتی زندانی میشه تا بالاخره موفق میشه کاری کنه قانون عوض بشه

[Zahra Changiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

*کتاب کودک فقط برای کودکان نیست*
کتاب خوبی بود. به نظرم عدالت خواهی مفهومیه که از کودکی باید بیاموزیم و آموزش بدیم. به والدین پیشنهادش میکنم. گرچه خودم والد نبودم اما از خوندنش، کودک درونم فهمید که نباید زیر بار زور بره:)
از کتاب:
آهای آهای با قلدری
هیچ کاری از پیش نمیره
یه روزی باور میکنین
یه جای کارتون گیره

[talia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the pasta language and I'm on board with the revolution, but the power of the allegory seems to stumble a little bit when we get to the Phantastic Noodler...

[Kim Chaffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adorable story about a pasta loving elephant that stands up for what she believes in. This zany story touches upon themes of justice, friendship, and finding creative solutions!

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

The kangaroos with their 'deep pockets' make all the laws here. All the other animals get along fine, and enjoy the elephant that loves to make/eat noodles. When kangaroo laws outlaw noodles, then Noodlephant makes penne out of pens with her "Phantastic Noodler" she invented.

Cans into cannelloni
pillows into ravioli
radiators into radiatori

Finally, when the kangaroos break up the party by reading the law book, she makes lasagna from the law books after throwing them into the Noodler bucket and turning the crank.

Kind of goofy. Kids will enjoy the rhyming words. Parents will like the deep-pocket, law-making kangaroos (at least everyone except Ted Cruz).

I'm just not sure kids will say "again, again" once they read this. 3*

[Kaethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the art, love the many noodles, love the Dr. Seuss energy.

Library copy

[Fatemehshahvari · Rating 5 out of 5]

برای ما یعنی همه
قانون باید یکی باشه
چه کانگورو، چه فیل و موش
فرقی نداره کی باشه


خیلییی قشنگ بود:') مناسب این روزهامون.

[Emily Bond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was gifted this charming book by a friend, and am so glad!

Noodlephant lives in a community with many different animals, but the kangaroos in charge make rules that disproportionately impact the other animals, saving special privileges for themselves. Noodlephant and friends protest these unfair rules, and work together to help make the community a place where every animal is treated kindly.

I read this with my first grade class, and it was a perfect read aloud; thought-provoking, full of interesting details and fun word-play, and of course animals wrestling with real-world issues. We just wrapped up a unit on change-makers and the civil rights movement, so the references to striking and peaceful protest sparked many animated discussions about fairness and standing up for justice. Highly recommend!

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

August 2019 - what a remarkable book! It works as a read-aloud story, with fun wordplay, expressive illustrations, and a satisfying story. It's also maybe the only picture book I've seen that teaches kids about oppression, unjust laws, peaceful protest, wrongful imprisonment and more without those messages overwhelming the story. You're humming along, thinking of things to put in the Phantastic Noodler, and also coming away with a message of social justice ("They said she had broken the laws. Noodlephant said the laws were already broken.") It's the balance that's really amazing. It also really, really makes me want some pasta - "Cause noodles are for me’s and you’s! We won’t be locked up in the zoos."

[Aolund · Rating 5 out of 5]

This entrancing and humorous picture book would be great for classroom visits to elementary-schoolers as well as for one on one reading, and is really such a good story that I could see it working in some storytimes. The pictures are gorgeous and full of action, and there aren't many words on each page, making for a fast-moving feel. While the Noodlephant has a goofy air, the book effortlessly takes on laws, wealth disparity, imprisonment, and injustice as well, making it ripe for class discussion.

Themes: Sharing, Kindness, Peace, Food

[Adrienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a clever book, combining smartt text and delightful illustrations, gets an important message across without preaching. I especially like that the text / rhyme isn't predictable. Steele's loose, fun illustrations are a hoot—the octopus that doesn't want to get wet—will have readers going back time after time to discover more fun details. Congratulations also on a very impressive donation note on the dedication page.

[Rhea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly believe that the best way to engage kids with issues of inequality and justice is through story. Noodlephant manages to take on racism, police brutality, and unjust laws in a playful, thought provoking way. The illustrations are detailed and fun. We stumbled upon a reading of this book at the library, and my kids loved it. The authors are really doing something special.

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptional way to talk with small ones about justice vs law and it isn't too heavy handed. It's a fun and funny read about an elephant who LOVES noodles in a society run by some rather rude kangaroos.

Worth the read and, if it is in your line of work, worth throwing into a storytime.

[Shabnam_wr · Rating 4 out of 5]

چون ماکارونی دوست دارم و واقعا جز اولویت های زندگی منه.🍝

[Fateme|• · Rating 5 out of 5]

چه خوب بود! :)

[Nessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmm.... kangaroos hitting elephants because they are not following their new crazy laws... the power of lasagna ends the kangaroo tyranny.

Poor pasta loving elephant is abused because of her love of pasta. She is trying to have a pasta party with her friends who are also affected by these new "Kangaroo only rules", have been outcast and are working together to make their life at the zoo better. But enough was enough when the Kangaroos banned elephant from eating pasta. She started a revolution to make noodles anyway by transforming household items into various noodles. Noodlephant was caught by a group of kangaroos for making noodles and was sent to court. Noodlephant made a beautiful equality speak and was sentence to go to jail because she was found guilty for breaking the law. She protests by refusing to eat and grows skinny during the weeks of her incarceration. Nooodlephants get worried about her and assist her break out by providing her with her magic noodle making machine. Noodlephant is free and decides to have another noodle party in front of the court houses. The evil kangaroos come and Noodlephant takes their badge and throw it in the noodle making machine. The kangaroos badge turns into a lasagna and changes EVERYTHING. The kangaroo only laws change and everyone lives in harmony.

[Nicole Finch]

This book is WILD. I have no idea how many stars to give it, because after finishing it, I'm absolutely flabbergasted and speechless. Instead of stars, can I rate it "WTF???"

This book starts out as a silly story about an elephant who loves noodles, then the tone shifts wildly into depictions of state violence by the kangaroos (the animals who hold power in this multispecies society) upon the other animals. There are *several* illustrations of kangaroo cops beating the other animals with nightsticks. Then we whiplash back into a fun noodle party where the animals create a machine that turns anything into noodles. Sometimes Noodlephant speaks in rhyme, and sometimes she doesn't. Eventually, Noodlephant is convicted of eating noodles and thrown in prison, where she goes on a hunger strike. Finally, the animals throw all the lawbooks into the noodle machine and eat them with Noodlephant's grandmother's secret mushroom sauce.

Like, sure, absolutely, we should all start teaching our kids to be anarchists as young as possible, I don't think anyone can argue against that logic. But the tonal shifts in this book were almost too much for my middle-aged heart to take. I feel like I just got off a surrealist roller-coaster.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pasta is one of those wholly sensory words. Whether you see the word or forms of pasta, hear it spoken, smell it cooking or served, taste it in its many shapes and sizes and in an array of combinations with other ingredients or touch it, cooked or uncooked, it generates an emotion. It calls forth memories. It transports us to other places and other times or inspires future culinary endeavors.

One thing pasta might have never done before is encourage resistance. Noodlephant (Enchanted Lion Books, February 12, 2019) written by Jacob Kramer with illustrations by K-Fai Steele shows readers how a love of pasta provides a persistent elephant and her group of friends with necessary courage. Their inventiveness triumphs!


My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...

[Erin]

Weird and wonderful.


Noodlephant loves pasta and her friends, but the kangaroo police force and lawmakers are determined to repress everyone but themselves. Faced with the loss of her beloved noodles, Noodlephant and her friends create an extraordinary magical pasta-making machine. The kangaroos get wind of this, however, and Noodlephant is swiftly imprisoned in the zoo where she must eat nothing but dry, thorny acacia branches. The friends and the magical pasta machine come to the rescue, and Noodlephant cleverly tricks the kangaroos into giving up their draconian lawbooks in exchange for lasagna.


I could have done without the spontaneous breaking into song, but otherwise it was great fun.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, Noodlephant is an elephant so named by her friends, who love her pasta and the way she cooks. With the exception of the kangaroos, who couldn't be bothered and would rather spend their time making up unfair laws than anything else. Things head downhill when the kangaroos dictate that Elephants must eat only sticks and branches. If they enjoy pasta -BAM!-time in the zoo. A great conversation starter. The wonderful illustrations are a delight!

[Darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't understand the complaints that it is too long. As compared to picture books from 10-20 years ago this would be considered a short story. Perfect for one-on-one reading. The illustrations made me lol multiple times and I love turning things into pasta.

"When laws are so unjust
Misbehavior is a must!
Together we will make new rules
To share along with fresh noodles!"

Wish they didnt share with the kangaroos at the end though tbh.

(Also some of the profits go to Black and Pink!)

[Tiff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Noodlephant is an elephant who is crazy about noodles. This book is hilariously funny. I loved the book like pasta crazy! Story is bit long for storytime, but you can skip pages as always. Illustrations are a hoot. Highly recommend this over the top book!